{ the shield }

Theodore shook his head, instantly clear on the fact that Flynn has misunderstood him. “No, I can’t. I’ve lost my privileges.” He wasn’t ashamed of that fact–just inconvenienced. “But I want to re-read this paper for my work so a printout will have to do.” He paused, glancing at the text Flynn had left open. “What’re you writing?” he asked, forcing himself not to read it without permission by looking away from the screen entirely.

“I mean that you can use it on my account.” Flynn said and then shrugged his shoulders. He wasn’t going to argue or anything. “Just let me know where you want me to go and what you want me to click on.” Flynn said, waiting patiently for Theodore to tell him what to do next. “Ah...” Flynn quickly minimized what he was doing. “Just a letter to a family member.” 

Wentworth laughed at Flynn’s priority’s “Well there’s a cheat if that helps. Just press the buttons in the right combination and it’ll think it’s get tested and give you the highest score possible.” Wenty knew flynn wouldn’t want that, what gamer would? “Well if you’d love me as much as I love you, you’d be worried flynnster.” Wenty retorted. “I was think broccoli, chicken in a cheese sauce? What do you think? I’d have to stop by the shop on the way back but they should have what I need.”

“A cheat?” Flynn asked, frowning as he glanced towards the VR system again. “I don’t want to cheat, though. I like that it’s about skill.” He explained to his roommate. “Love?” He furrowed his eyebrows at the other male. “That’s irrelevant.” He insisted. “And don’t call me that.” Flynn hated nicknames. He would have thought that Wentworth would have understood that by now. “Broccoli and chicken with cheese sauce sounds good to me. I could make a dessert as well?” He suggested. 

6. Have you ever lost someone close to you?

I’ve never had someone close enough to me that I could even lose so... no. 

16. How would you describe yourself in 5 words?

Smart, tall, blue eyes, humorous. 

22. Are you living or just existing? How do you know?

I’ve never really felt like I’ve lived. My life... well, it hasn’t been an easy one. Most of the time I just feel like I’m existing, not really finding any sort of meaning in life. I tend to feel a little better around my friends. 

29. What is your greatest strength? What is your greatest weakness?

Greatest Strength: My power Greatest Weakness: I tend to assume everyone has an ulterior motive when they talk to me.

37. Do you consider yourself to be the hero or the villain of you story?

Villain who desperately wants to be a hero. 

“I mean, we could start with the tilt-a-whirl? That doesn’t look too bad, and I’m sure my loving boyfriend would let me cling to him if I got scared.” Clark chuckled, biting down on his lower lip as he looked over the other. “You say that, but there’s been freak accidents in theme parks before. Real theme parks.” He spoke, brow raised before the male smiled, moving to kiss the other softly. “What kinda stakes were you thinking, babe?” 

The “loving boyfriend” part of Clark’s sentence threw Flynn off. Yes, he cared about Clark, and he really liked him, but Flynn had never been in love before. He had no idea what it felt like, or even if it was a real thing. He chewed on the inside of his cheek and chuckled awkwardly. “Yeah, I mean if you need to hold onto me, that’s fine.” He nodded as he glanced towards the games. “Real theme parks don’t have people with powers on the rides. I could just use my power to protect us.” He explained, nonchalantly. “Not sure, honestly.” Flynn wasn’t good at coming up with bets. “My thoughts were high stakes... Rule breaking, high stakes.” Flynn smirked as he glanced towards his boyfriend.

“I mean, if you really want to I guess I can try one but they just freak me out a little bit. Especially when you hear about people getting stuck on them, or injured by them. Plus, I watched that one Final Destination film with the rollercoaster thing when I was far too young and it’s freaked me out since then.” He chuckled softly, biting down on his lower lip as he looked across at Flynn. “Whatever you want, babe. Though I could definitely beat you at skeeball.” he teased, leaning across to kiss his cheek softly. “We can do whatever you want, I don’t mind as long as I get to spend today with you.”

“I don’t want to do something you’re uncomfortable with.” Flynn shook his head back and forth. He was happy that he was learning things about Clark. What else freaked him out? What else did he feel fear from? “Final Destination isn’t all that realistic.” Flynn insisted, trying to reassure his boyfriend but he felt like he was doing a bad job at it. “We don’t have to get on any of the rides.” He said and then tugged at his hand. “Could you?” He asked, chuckling. “Sounds like a challenge to me.” He then motioned towards the skeeball set up. “Want to make a bet?”

“I mean, I’m not really into rollercoasters and stuff that much, but I don’t mind the funhouses and pirate ship. The ferris wheel could be good later on, too.” Clark smiled softly as he squeezed Flynn’s hand gently. “The games sound fun, though! Nobody’s ever won anything for me before.” He admitted as he bit down on his lower lip, his eyes glancing across to settle on his boyfriend. “What game did you want to try your hand at?”

“You’re not?” Flynn asked, glancing down towards Clark. He didn’t know all that much about Clark. The two of them rarely spoke about their past, or anything that didn’t have to do with Lake Grimstone. He, of course, was looking forward to talking more in depth with his boyfriend, but they just hadn’t had the time yet. “Um.. maybe the balloon and darts station?” He suggested. “Or... skeeball.” 

“Exactly, that’s why I didn’t want to do that to you flynnster.” He was workshopping the nickname. “Honestly we need to work on that, I don’t know how but mate it’s something you need.” Wenty didn’t care what he’d have to do to help Flynn he’d just do it. “Bud theirs a difference between being a phone guy and answering a text… or twenty” Wenty laughed hard because that was the exact number he left. “About three hours, it started off as should I cook dinner and then just spiralled.”

Flynn didn’t like nicknames. Not at all. But this was Wentworth and he wasn’t just going to tell his friend to stop. “Something I need?” Flynn asked and shook his head back and forth. “What I need is to beat my high score on Tetris.” He said, motioning towards the VR set he had just been using. “Three hours? You act like it’s been three weeks.” Flynn waved him off, trying not to worry the other. “I get really into my games.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Did you figure out what you are cooking for dinner?” At that question, his stomach started to growl.

“A safety net like you is definitely needed. I’d probably end up burning the house down and I’m sure Aubrey or Wentworth wouldn’t like that.” Clark chuckled softly, before nodding. “That’s fine, I’ve got water.” He dug into the bag to get out a bottle for Flynn, handing it to him in case he wanted it then and there. “But in my opinion it just says you’re old enough and big enough to deal with the consequences of the major hangover tomorrow would bring.” The male teased softly, leading them both towards the gardens. They walked for a bit, before Clark found a place for them to sit and laid a blanket out. He laid all the food out, including the thermos that had the soup in it and a bowl and spoon for Flynn to be able to actually eat it with. They also had a range of other little food bits and snacks, as well as more drinks like soda’s and alcohol. “So did I just interrupt prime Tetris time or is something bothering you today?”

~~ time jump to evening & festival ~~

Flynn laced his fingers through his boyfriend’s as they walked towards a few of the rides. “Anything you want to go on first?” He asked, glancing towards Clark before his eyes flickered back towards everything the government had set up. It was a huge event and it combined both of the towns. Did that mean they could stay out later than ten? “Or maybe we can stick to the games and I can maybe win you something?” Flynn was not good at any games, unless it was video games, but he’d try. 

Naomi had never really explored the VR Bar before now, but after hearing Flynn mention it, she wanted to check it out. Seeing him playing, Naomi went to go wait for him to be done. She wasn’t making any noise, but clearly her presence alone was enough to distract him. After he took the set off and scolded her, Naomi held her hands up in surrender, her smile gone. “Goddamn, I was just waiting to talk to you, jesus. I guess I’ll come back.”

Flynn’s competitiveness didn’t show very often but it did when he was playing video games. The VR system seemed to only intensify it. “Sorry.” He grumbled as he moved away from the VR room. “What’s up?” He asked, his eyes searching hers. “Did something happen?” He asked, glancing down towards her hands and then back up at her.

Wentworth had Flynn, they were roommates, friends and sometimes Flynn was a little brother. So when he saw the opportunity to mess with him a little he took it. “Yeah I was. I don’t what you would of done if I’d touch with the VR set on.” Wenty knew how immersive they could be. “You know your worse then Alexa to get a hold of, she texts me back” he teased

“Probably would have jumped and used my power on you.” Flynn said. If he was scared, his power came out at times. It wasn’t something he could control yet. “Which wouldn’t have been good.” Flynn let out a sigh as he glanced down towards the headset. “And you know I’m not a phone guy.” Flynn rarely had his phone on him. “How long have you been trying to get ahold of me?”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” Clark spoke softly, knowing that Flynn didn’t really like to be interrupted when he was playing unless it was necessary. The man definitely deemed lunch as necessary. “Yeah.” He chuckled, grinning as the man kissed his cheek. “Maybe, but I think I’d have to have you by my side in the kitchen the first few times.” He squeezed Flynn’s hand, the food and drinks in the bag on his shoulder as they headed out the building. “A mix of soft and alcoholic; I didn’t know what you’d fancy, so I just brought a little bit of everything. Do you wanna go and sit in the gardens and eat? The soups in a thermos so it won’t go cold.” 

“Maybe.” Flynn said with a smile. “Only to make sure you didn’t hurt yourself.” He fully believed Clark could cook if he set his mind to it and he’d encourage his boyfriend to do so in the future. “I might take water first. I’m not sure what it says about me if I start drinking this early in the day.” Flynn chuckled as he squeezed Clark’s hand. He was glad that they lived in the same town. It meant they didn’t have to walk too far to see one another. And that he didn’t have to worry about Clark being so far away from him. Sure, Clark probably didn’t need protection. He didn’t even get into arguments with people. But Flynn always felt better when he knew he could use his power to help Clark if his boyfriend needed it. “The gardens sounds great to me.” 

Clark knew he was lucky in that he had found someone in the situation that he had found himself in. He’d liked the towns at first, and he still enjoyed his job considering it was all to do with computers but he just… got a bad feeling every now and then. He knew that for a lot of the residents, no matter which town they resided in, they just wanted to go home.. and home wasn’t Lake Grimstone. Still, he tried to make their days better and easier, and today he had decided that he’d brighten his boyfriend’s day… or try to. 

“Well, I mean they’re not taken but if you’d rather play Tetris than have lunch with me…” Clark teased, a grin coming to his lips as he made his way into Flynn’s eye line. “It’s fine, honestly. I’ll just eat this massive portion of baked potato soup all to myself. And yes, it’s safe to eat, because I didn’t make it.” He laughed, knowing that if he attempted to make any sort of meal that took longer than twenty minutes he’d probably end up giving food poisoning anyone that ate it. “I brought some drinks and snacks too.” 

Flynn opened his mouth and then closed it slowly. He hadn’t meant to be rude at Clark. He just didn’t realize it was him that was behind him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say it in that tone.” Flynn slowly set down the VR headset and ran a hand through his hair to try to fix it. “Baked potato soup?” Flynn’s voice rose with excitement. “Oh come on, I’m sure you can make it if you had a recipe.” He smiled as he leaned in and kissed Clark on the cheek. “I’d much rather each lunch with you than play tetris.” He reassured the other male as he interlocked his fingers in with Clark’s. “What kind of drinks?” He asked as he led the other towards the exit of the building.

The VR face set was tight around his head as he was playing tetris. He was trying to beat his high score, which was one that most people couldn’t even beat, when he felt a presence behind him. It distracted him enough to where the blocks started piling and at that point, there was no stopping it. He let out a groan. “If you were trying to distract me enough to make me lose concentration on my game, then you fucking succeeded.” He pulled off the VR face mask and glanced behind him. “Are the other sets taken up or something?” He was trying not to look or sound annoyed because in reality, if someone wanted to use the station he was at, he’d just let them. 

Clark understood that Flynn had still taken a life, that he had affected so many people’s lives because of that; If it had been in cold blood, Clark’s reaction would have been entirely different but it was an accident and more importantly it was self defence. He could never prosecute someone for defending themselves.

As Flynn leaned into him, Clark wrapped his arms around the man tightly, pulling him close and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “You don’t have to apologise. I’m just glad you feel comfortable opening up to me. I’m glad you trust me.” The man knew everything about Clark, well, everything that he usually wouldn’t tell other people until they got to a certain point. Everything else was just your normal ‘get to know your new boyfriend’ things, that he was definitely looking forward to.

“I like you, a hell of a lot, Flynn. I’m not going anywhere, I promise. Now, why don’t you show me what this cheese and jam thing is all about, hmm?” He asked softly, hoping to get Flynn to settle back down with him and try not to dwell on what he’d just trusted Clark with.

Flynn sometimes didn’t realize how much of his past experienced affected him. He was thirty years old. He wanted to be able to forget about all of it and even pretend it didn’t happen. But unfortunately, that’s not how trauma worked. “I just...” He swallowed hard as he pulled away from Clark slightly. “I don’t want you to be afraid of me or... think I’d do that on purpose to someone. I wouldn’t.” It was why he had joined TRP. To show people that he was there to not only protect them, but to help them achieve what they wanted in their lives. He was trying to make up for the horrible thing he had done at such a young age. 

“I like you too.” Flynn said with a smile. “I always have.” The way he had felt about Clark was different than people in the past. He had never really looked at physical appearance, or experienced being attracted to someone in the normal sense of the word. But with Clark, it was different. He saw Clark and he had automatically took his breath away. And then his personality just made Clark that much more likable. 

Flynn let out a chuckle and nodded as he grabbed the bags of groceries and began pulling the food out. “I can’t believe you haven’t tried this.” Flynn said as he opened one of the cheese packets, accidentally dropping some of the already sliced cheese. “Oops.” He muttered and then moved on. He pressed his lips together as he grabbed a cracker, put a piece of cheese on it and then poured some cracked pepper jelly on it. “Here.” Flynn held it up towards Clark. “Tell me what you think.”